OK, so this IS funny. Death Panels for all...Outies and hairy moles

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Healther Skelter - Obama Death Panel Debate
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Holiness will not lead to more Power

Holiness is NOT Power! Holiness does NOT produce power. Are we to become like Jesus so that we may preach like Spurgeon? This is truth standing on its head! Shouldn’t we be holy even if we never preached a sermon? Holiness is for the sake of holiness. To be like Jesus has its own reward! “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God” – not revival! I believe in sanctification and holiness with all of my heart, but if holiness produced power then we could say: Look what my holiness has done! That would be shocking.

Look at PETER in Acts 3:12: The miracle did NOT happen because of his “own godliness”. Weeks before he had denied the Lord. I sometimes think I can hear sobbings between the lines of Peter’s writings. Here is the answer: Acts 3:16 “FAITH in His name”… releases POWER! FAITH is the power-switch! And now the summary: Holiness for holiness – faith for power!

Blessed or puzzled? Please let me know. REINHARD BONNKE.

A Market Prophetic Update

We have seen our highs for a while. Probably for a few months.

It's not the end of the up run, but it is a pause.

I suggested a while back that August would be our high.

IT WAS.

Be on the right side of this thing.

Where is my Commission - This was MY idea a MONTH ago

I posted my solution to the health care reform July 17.

This morning someone pointed me towards this from Hot Air’s blog.

It’s pretty much a rewrite of my plan.

At LEAST there are now voices of common sense beginning from the right. I would like to say, I don’t give a darn who gets the credit, but a note of attribution might have been nice if you are going to wholesale steal it.

TRUTH.

We are going to have a new health care system in the USA, and some of it will be subsidized insurance premiums.

OR if we don’t start to get on board with real reform it will be OBAMACARE.

Which side are you on? You can’t stop something with nothing. Up till now we have just said no.

Didn’t work well in the war on drugs, won’t work here.

I live 8 miles from Elgin....what does that mean?

Elgin Declared Fattest City In Illinois

But Distinction Sparks Little Interest In 'Fitness Grants'

Reporting
Derrick Blakley

ELGIN, lll. (CBS) ―

Click to enlarge

1 of 1

(File Photo)

Fat isn't funny if your town's been tabbed as the most overweight in the state.

It's a health crisis, and Elgin's institutions are joining together to encourage residents of the town to tighten their belts.

In Elgin, civic leaders face a weighty problem: a survey that calls their town the fattest in Illinois.

Some can't believe it. But the figures, pulled from driver's license data, don't lie -- except, that is, when drivers lie about their figure.

"We all know that people under-report their weights often on their driver's license, so it might even be scarier than we had initially thought," Melissa Serritella of Activate Elgin said.

Elgin Mayor Ed Shock said he doesn't believe his community is the fattest city in Illinois. But he does believe Elgin shares in an obesity epidemic that, shall we say, stretches nationwide.

"It's a function of kids not exercising as much," Shock said. "Very few kids walk to school anymore. Most kids don't ride their bicycles."

And data from Elgin's school district shows almost half the kids are obese or at risk of obesity.

Whatever the scope of the problem, the Elgin YMCA offered a solution $48,000 in Kane County-funded grants to promote healthy living. Except one thing: no has signed up for the money yet.

"It just re-enforces the lack of commitment to address this epidemic in our country, which is obesity," Rick Reigner, CEO of the Elgin YMCA, said.

At Elgin's riverfront park, we found plenty of big losers.

"I was 210 pounds at one time … (now) I'm 170," resident Pedro Perez said.

"Since the beginning of the year, I've lost probably about 50 pounds," Bob Wolf said.

And like Wolf, Elgin officials say, they deserve credit for recognizing that the heavyweight championship of Illinois cities is no prize.

"Whether or not Elgin is the fattest city in the state, I think something needs to be done," Serritella said.

The $48,000 for grass-roots health programs is being offered in $1,000 grants through a coalition called Activate Elgin. The deadline is Sept. 1.

My cousin Paul died on Sunday Night.... He was a fellow plantsman... He will be missed

Obituary for Paul A. Lee

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Paul A. Lee Funeral services for Paul A. Lee, age 40, of Summit, SD, will be at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 14, 2009, at Hope Lutheran Church in Summit. Rev. Craig Werling will officiate. Music will be provided by Val Moen as organist and Bill Rohlfing as soloist. Paul passed away on Sunday, August 9, 2009, at the hospital in Watertown, SD. Burial will be in Hope Lutheran Cemetery near Summit. Honorary pallbearers will be: Michaela McBride, Trey McBride, Xander McBride, and Talya LaBarr. Active pallbearers will be: Tom J. Lee, Jimmy McBride, Mike Lee, Brandon McBride, Ralph LaBarr, and Brian Hanson. Visitation will be at the Crawford Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. and Friday prior to services at the church. The family is requested to meet at the church on Friday by 9:30 a.m. for a prayer service. Paul was born on January 6, 1969, in Watertown, SD, to Bernard and Kathryn (LaBarr) Lee. He graduated from Summit high school in 1987. Following graduation, he worked at Sioux Conifer Nursery for eight years, then Lakeland Nursery, and most recently he worked at Wal-Mart, in the garden center. Paul was admired by many customers and co-workers for his knowledge and helpfulness. He was a member of Hope Lutheran Church. Paul was an avid reader of science fiction and horticulture books. He was self-educated in the area of horticulture because of his interest in plants, trees, gardens, and water gardens. Paul was quiet, kind, and compassionate, known as the ‘gentle giant’. He was probably the bravest person his family has ever known. Paul is survived by his mother, Kathryn, of Summit; two sisters: Barbara (James) McBride of South Shore, SD, and Pamela Hanson and her special friend, Brian Hanson, of Vermillion, SD; two nephews: Jimmy McBride and Brandon McBride; one great-niece; two great-nephews; and his Wal-Mart family. He was preceded in death by his father, in 2008; and one brother, Bernard T. Lee, Jr., in 1972.

Confirming Decisions

Confirming Decisions
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
08-13-2009

"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed" (Proverbs 15:22).

Confirming major decisions through the counsel of others is one way God protects us from poor decisions. This process is designed to confirm direction for which we are seeking confirmation. Paul was sensitive not to get too heavy-handed in the confirmation process though. He offered advice to others but was not the enforcer of their decisions. "And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter"(2 Corinthians 8:10).

The requirement for efficient administration frequently requires single points of decision-making. Where there is willingness and trust to receive input, there is also humility, faith, and grace for God to work His pleasure in His servant. Where there is unwillingness, the opposite is true.

There have been times in my life where I have felt strongly about a certain issue only to receive feedback from those close to me which revealed that I was not accurate in my assessment of the situation. I have learned to yield in such situations, trusting that God is working through those in whom I am accountable.

The scriptures encourage us to seek advice and counsel from other Godly people who share the same values and goals that we have. "Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise"(Proverbs 19:20). "Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance"(Proverbs 20:18).

Peace of mind is another important confirmation requirement for making decisions. If you do not have peace about a decision, you should wait until God gives you peace. This does not mean your decision may not have some tension due to the faith aspect of it, but deep down you should have a peace that it is the right decision. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

Do you need to make a major decision? Ask God to give you confirmation through others.

Religion Filters Jesus Out

In our homes power does not come to us direct from the generators. It is filtered through sub-stations and transformers to reduce the voltage. The power of God however does not come upon us filtered. When Jesus appears He is not a pale shadow of what He was a mere breath. We haven’t a phantom Christ. He is the living Jesus, not an echo of a far away hope. The Holy Spirit is bound to honour the Gospel and lets Jesus step into our midst. You can’t bring the Gospel without power any more than having fire without heat. I am not theorizing, but talk about my walk with Him. It’s real and it works. I know that you are looking for that. Let me know. I will pray for you. Love REINHARD BONNKE.

Who I may NEVER ask about how to overhaul Welfare

During the Clinton and Bush administrations there were radical changes to the Welfare System in the USA. Much of it was a Welfare to Work program. It did pretty well.

There was much debate on it while it was under consideration.

What there wasn't was policy makers going to the southside or westside of Chicago or inner city Milwaukee and asking residences there what was wrong with the welfare system at that time.

When a few asked, they said, "It's fine. There's no problem. Everything as it should be. Ain't broke, don't fix it."

Another group that wasn't inquired of were the very very wealthy. They weren't even aware of the problem. And since they were pretty well insulated at that time offshore it didn't matter to them.

Only the people who had skin in the game, taxpayers, were able to see what needed to be done and they backed local and national government at repairing a system that those who were on it didn't see as broken.

That's why when anyone on socialized medicine (medicare), has more than 70% of their health insurance paid for by someone else or just flies alone in the dark without insurance and has an opinion, I politely ignore them as I would have ignored a welfare queen or king from 95th street south in Chicago on the needed reform of the welfare system back then.

I'm not interested in your distorted opinion. You have no skin in the game.

Those who qualify to have an opinion are those who employ others and pay for others insurance premiums, those who buy their own insurance on the open market and those who for reasons unknown are UNINSURED and face bankruptcy in the case of any medical needs of magnitude.

They know the system is broken and in need of repair. The rest live in a matrix insulated from reality. As long as someone else is paying the bill they refuse to see any problem.

Thanks for your opinion, but first I want to know if you qualify for anyone to give your opinion any weight whatsoever.

I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF BARACK OBAMA'S HEALTHCARE DEBACLE. I AM IN FAVOR OF AN OVERHAUL OF A DYSFUNCTIONAL SYSTEM THAT IS COLLAPSING. HOW THAT IS DONE WILL TAKE LEADERSHIP WHICH ON THE RIGHT WE DO NOT NOW HAVE.

That's my point. But first, how about some qualified opinions.

I am off the Reservation on the Health Care Debate....according to the hard core right

This is from a comment I made regarding the Health Care Issue. I believe things are out of control. I do NOT believe Obama's program is what we need. My right wing breathern are blind to this issue. They have been for a long time. I am simply a voice crying in a right wing wilderness. This paragraph was from an essay recent. I excerpted this and made the following comments.

Why is President Barack Obama suddenly drowning in a sea of widespread resistance to his centerpiece legislation? Because it has now become quite clear to Harry & Louise Q Citizen that this was a man without a “constructive alternative” to the out-of-control healthcare system he has badgered and rhetorically beaten bloody to a pulp.

THAT my friends is the problem. People (most people) understand that we have an out-of-control healthcare system except people on Medicare (who should not have a voice in this since they are already on socialized medicine), People who are young and nutty about taking big risks, People who’s average of twelve grand a year health insurance costs are subsidized by their employer, and people who work for a government agency and have great insurance. All the rest of us poor mopes understand clearly that we have an out-of-control healthcare system and it must be revised and repaired.

The divide on this issue among Conservatives is the admission or consent to the idea that we DO have an out-of-control healthcare system.

If you deny that, then I can’t debate or argue with you. You don’t see a problem.

What must happen is People who AGREE that we have an out-of-control healthcare system must begin to have a conversation of how to repair it. I had hoped that conversion would have been with people who are conservative fiscally and socially and who do NOT like government control. I am one of those. Instead we have descended into the caldron of accusation. Just like the last Presidential Primary. How’d that work out. We voted for an old guy hoping he would quit early so the young conservative would become POTUS.

Now we have Obama. He doesn’t have a plan either other than to expand government and socialism in America.

The conservatives in the USA have no plan at all.

SO, lets see, among those who actually recognize that there is a problem with an out-of-control healthcare system can we please find a way to offer an alternative other than the house of cards status quo?

Otherwise, I’m afraid Obama will win the day because we failed to offer leadership.

Is anyone Listening?

Before you can sober a drunk up he must first admit he is a drunk.

We are drunk on a toothpaste and toilet paper system that is an out-of-control healthcare system. Time to quit drinking folks and start fixing it.

If you don’t admit that it’s an out of control healthcare system, then I can’t discuss it with you. You have your head in a barrel yelling la la la la la as loud as you can hoping not to hear the cries of a population that is drifting off into oblivion.

Are there now prisons, are there no work camps? If they are going to die, let them die soon and decrease the surplus population. Ebenezer Scrooge.

Possessing or Being Possesed by the Holy Spirit

If you hold a bottle of water the bottle possesses the water, if you throw that bottle in the ocean the ocean possesses the bottle. If the cap is off the water flows in and out and the bottle is fully immersed, possessed, in the flow, directed and moved by the ocean current.

I don't want to possess, I want to be possessed.

That's why Jesus said "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father
promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with
water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 1:4b-5.

Baptism MEANS immersion, plunging beneath, in...

That was AFTER he had breathed on them John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

One was Possessing (the bottle in the hand), the other is Baptizing, being possessed, of the Spirit of God. Immersed. Flowing. controlled by something greater than the bottle.

And that is the reason the Charismatic Movement has been so strong.

It's not that complicated and I'm always amazed that it's so hard to comprehend for so many.

The Acts 19 account shows simple disciples of John the Baptist comprehending this with ease and entering in.

Why is this such a hard thing for so many in the church to understand?

Or, does Jesus still say to us today what he said in Mark 7:13?

I'll let you look that one up.

Palin Reduced Medicaid Backlog 83% In Two Years

Contrary to some assertions, Sarah Palin has a strong record supporting Alaskan seniors. For example, Governor Palin successfully obtained approval for a five year extension of a state program that provided monthly cash payments to low-income seniors.

On May 23, 2007, using a rarely invoked emergency regulation, Governor Palin ordered assistance benefits to continue for Alaska’s neediest seniors after the Alaska legislature failed to fund the SeniorCare Program. After her action, the legislature responded, and on July 28, 2007, Governor Palin signed Senate Bill 4 to continue support for low-income Alaskan seniors by adopting the Senior Benefits Program. “This program continues important assistance to Alaska seniors,” Governor Palin said. “I promised that seniors would not go hungry, and we worked with the Alaska Legislature to address this critical need.” It was estimated that 10,700 Alaskan seniors would be able to benefit under the program.

Also under Governor Palin’s tenure, on December 19, 2008, the state stepped in and took over the Mary Conrad Center, an Anchorage nursing home, when the state determined that there was “'immediate danger to the health, safety or welfare' of its residents.”

So, with this clear record of support and care for Alaska’s seniors by Governor Palin, what is the current criticism about? According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, prior to Governor Palin’s election in November 2006, in April of 2006, in an effort to control rapidly increasing costs for home health care providers, known as the PCA program, Governor Frank Murkowski’s administration implemented a screening process for Alaska Medicaid eligible persons by using a Level of Care assessment (LOC). The LOC assessment was designed for persons who would otherwise require hospitalization or nursing home care and was intended to help weed out fraud and abuse.

By definition, many of these people were ill, elderly or disabled and thus in need of personal care attendants to assist them. Only registered nurse assessors were allowed to evaluate consumers to determine if they qualified for PCA care. The job of assessing consumers was contracted out, but the State of Alaska DHHS determined that the hired contractor had too much backlog. Notably, under federal Medicaid strictures, the State could not get another private business to bid on the contract. So the State was forced to take over the job in November 2007. However, the State DHHS was unable to eliminate the backlog using its own staff, and the backlog then grew. The Federal DHHS temporarily suspended new admissions to the PCA program pending audit compliance to handle the backlog of existing cases and come up with a plan to speed the assessment process. The suspension has been lifted as of August 12.

Further, Gov. Palin’s FY 2009 budget clearly showed her analysis of the issue as of December 2007, and described both the problem and the solution long before the federal government got involved. The backlog issue was discussed and a plan proposed for improvement.

The graph below shows that under Gov. Palin (2007 and 2008) the backlog problem was dramatically reduced, from 30.9% in 2005 to 4.5% in 2008. Looking at these data, one can conclude that Gov. Palin substantially reduced the outstanding percentage of Medicaid assessments by 83%.

% Not Reviewed

FY 2008 4.5%

FY 2007 4.5%

FY 2006 23.18%

FY 2005 30.9%

What is the lesson in all of this? Even with good intentions, the government generally cannot provide better health care services than the private sector. Beware of complex federal laws purporting to offer government health care. For those who want nationalized medicine, take heed of this lesson.

Is Discipleship for Everyone or Anyone?

Ten Days ago Pastor Phil gave a short teaching on Discipleship. He pointed clearly that in the day of Jesus it was routine only to Disciple, train those who would be in ministry, priests and scholars. The rest became tradesmen and fishermen.

When Jesus called those kinds as Disciples of the Rabbi, it was a scandal.

Then Jesus has the audacity to say, Go ye therefore and make Disciples of ALL MEN.

I have had ten days to ponder this. I am not convinced that all men are to be discipled. Let me be clear, I think all men are to be allowed to be discipled, but some are called but never follow. Rich Young Ruler for example.

In this day and age the lack of discipleship in the Church is because most people are unwilling to pursue discipleship. The responsibility is NOT on the discipler, the command is to offer freely and willingly to any who would. The responsibility is on the one being discipled.

Many are called, few are chosen is the key understanding.

When a person is saved, truly saved, how much would it be naturally expected that such a person become passionate about knowing all the ways and purposes of the one who saved him or her.

Yet, I see people who attend church, or say a sinners prayer, and then thinking the ticket has been punched never pursue the purposes of God in their life. Never dig deep. Never put themselves in a place of being discipled.

I even question if they are saved at all. I have known some great saints of God and, now I will shock you, not all were pew jumping, rolling on the floor, tongue talking Pentecostals. I'm one, but many I know were not.

They were quiet saints who sought God in the early hours, Bible in their lap, a prayer booklet, reverence, tears, seeking God, learning of HIM.

They were being discipled. And when the opportunity came to know more, they sought it out.

I believe one failing of the Church is not offering a procedural step by step plan to bring people into a significant living love relationship with the one who brought them from death to life, darkness to light.

That is Discipleship 101. Would anyone come? I don't know. But, I promise you, if it's not available no one will come.

This can't be done from the pulpit. This isn't even a Bible study. This is a working out our salvation with fear and trembling step by step process.

We don't do it in the church and our churches are full of people just punching the old clock.

I know them and so do you. They don't need this. They are right. They don't. They are like the old Joke:

Why shouldn't you try to teach a pig to sing? It wastes time for the teacher and it annoys the pig.

NOT EVERYONE can be discipled. Everyone should be allowed to be discipled. But don't annoy the swine before which cast pearls are just wasted.

Discipleship is only for believers. Others need not apply and they won't.

Harry Jackson and the Health Care Debate

Last week I shared a very personal story of my struggle with both cancer and the insurance companies. My doctors informed me that I had two near-death experiences along with a mini-stroke that temporarily caused the right side of my body including my face, arm and leg to be paralyzed. Although I am fine now, that was a scary season in my life.

During my health challenges I met scores of foreigners at Johns Hopkins, hoping the American doctors could save them. Middle Easterners, South Americans and Europeans were among those that frequented various Hopkins departments. Surprisingly the day I met with my surgeon to lay out the plan for my 7.5-hour surgery, an aging man all the way from Hong Kong sat with several family members waiting to see my internationally known doctor.

Whether we want to admit it or not, the flawed American healthcare system has developed the best doctors in the world. Had my hospital not been on its game, I would not be here today. Many Americans could say the same. Our most obvious challenge is how we give access to everyone who needs help, while maintaining the best treatment in the world.

It seems to me that the healthcare reforms currently offered by the administration may have deadly consequences for the average person. Delay and denial of services will literally spell death for thousands. What is most disappointing about the healthcare debate today is that it has deteriorated to partisan wrangling in which the common good is often forgotten.

Healthcare continues to bounce from corner to corner of the political spectrum as opinions fly instead of real answers. The Democrats are continuing town hall meetings to rally support for the president's health care legislation. They have been met with jeers, taunts and in one case effigy. Despite Democratic public relations efforts, citizens have lots of questions. In fact people have so many questions that the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, stated that vulnerable Democrats have scheduled more than 1,000 meetings this month.

Every week I hear a new complaint about the ramifications of President Barack Obama's plan. Last week thousands spoke out against the idea of government-sponsored insurance that includes abortion. This week Sarah Palin attacked the administration's plan because she believes her Down syndrome baby's care would be based on his "level of productivity." She called the policy "down right evil." Palin stated that there would be a "death panel" which would determine the fate of children like hers.

One can only wonder what nuance of the plan will be criticized next week. Although the administration has attempted to cast these concerns as part of a partisan anti-Obama campaign, I think the healthcare problems are part of a big systemic problem that occurs when one party controls most of the votes in Congress.

Ideologically based solutions that are not properly vetted out sometimes are pushed forward because of legislators' party allegiance instead of rigorous bipartisan analysis. When this happens, half-baked ideas are passed off as solutions. Opponents are demonized, and the people are short changed.

Several recent polls, however, indicate that many Americans are not comfortable with the healthcare plan as it stands. The most vigorous debate is whether one of the options would be a government-run insurance company. At this time, a government-run insurance option will not pass in Congress.

From where I sit several things are obvious -- our healthcare system is expensive and inefficient. Because of the inherent inefficiencies that a government-run system will incur, the administration's plan will ultimately increase costs, producing staggering deficits, give less healthcare options and thus lower the quality of our care. As a grassroots leader who has started many new programs, innovation works best when it is built with proven building blocks. In other words, we should test, explore, examine and then implement best practices. The rate and the pace of these changes reflect the problems of having a genius-prone president who lacks proven field generals to implement his plans. Proven plans with a twist would be better than reinventing the wheel.

We as citizens must demand that Congress take things step by step. Let's first strip away the inefficiencies in our current system before attempting to dramatically improve what we have. Next let's encourage the best doctors in the world to remain the best. For example, the threat of malpractice alone pressures doctors into ordering unnecessary procedures. One doctor friend of mine stated, "Even the families of 80-year-old patients may sue you because of unrealistic expectations. When things go bad, they always think you could have done more." Because they are trying to cover themselves, some estimate that 25 percent of the total prescribed procedures may be unnecessary.

Finally patient choice must be preserved. The system has to be adjusted so that a person receives compensation in order to choose their own healthcare provider. In my case, had I chosen the wrong hospital, I would be singing in the heavenly choir. For many people, the healthcare choice may insure life, while healthcare denial or delay may spell death.

Timing is Everything. I wish some PASTORS knew this

From Os Hillman:

"Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 'See that you don't tell this to anyone'" (Mark 1:42-45).

Have you ever had a problem keeping a secret? Especially if that secret involves good news. My wife can't keep a secret like this. She is sure to blurt it out to the wrong person at the wrong time.

There is a timing that is ideal for releasing information or moving forward with a project. Jesus understood the importance of timing. When He performed His first healing miracle He instructed the man he healed with leprosy to not tell anyone. Now that would be difficult - not to share being healed from leprosy with your friends who have known you and your condition. He could not keep the secret.

As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. Jesus desired to do more things in that city, but because the man could not keep quiet, He could not do so.

How often has Jesus not been able to move in your situation because you have failed to honor the right timing of the situation? Perhaps you have moved ahead when you were not supposed to move. In the Old Testament, David was fighting the Philistines. He won the first battle, but they were coming against him again. He inquired of God and God said, "Go to battle, but not until you hear the marching in the balsam trees" (2 Sam. 5:23). There was a strategic timing associated with his actions.

Early in my writing career I wrote a book before I should have. I was called to write it, but my enthusiasm kept me from releasing it in the right timing. The premature release resulted in not having a complete understanding of the topic that I would gain later, had I waited on His timing for release.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven?" ( Eccl 3:1). Ask God for His timing in your projects to be released.

The $30,000 apendectomy will usher in OBAMACARE... Greed always Fails

I had my appendix out in 1956. It cost about 400 dollars and I was in the hospital 3 days.

If I had the same operation today it would be between 20-30,000 dollars.

I know there has been inflation since the fifties. But, not by a multiple of 75.

The average wage in my dad’s repair shop in 1956 for a mechanic was $1.20 per hour. If you multiply that times 75 you end up at $90 dollars per hour. Not mechanics wages today, even in a Mercedes dealership.

It's not just insurance problems. It's the fact that a straight forward medical procedure that should cost a few thousand dollars in real life now costs ten times that. It’s the idea of thousand dollar gasoline rendering the finest automobile in the land USELESS.

That’s why health care will be nationalized. I don’t want it. Neither do you. But, greed and stupidity will take us places you nor I didn’t want to go.

Read this forum for a discussion by people who are going in the end support the takeover of our health care system. Doctors, Pharma and Insurance and the Medical Establishment have done this to themselves. We are about to go to a hell we didn't want because of their arrogance and greed.

There is a cure, there is a fix, Obamacare is a bad choice, but the best medical system in the world is now out of reach for the practically uninsured. That’s what happens when insurance companies pay $2500 of a ten thousand dollar bill. Practically speaking they are uninsured.

Stupid greed will always end up destroying it’s victim and thereby destroying the system. Even the MOB knows that. If you extort protection money from a business you must leave enough so he stays in business and can afford to continue to pay you. I’m from Chicago and understand this.

Evidently big Pharma, Big Medicine and Big Insurance aren’t as smart as the mob in Chicago.

Killing the goose that lays golden eggs is bad policy.

Just like our badly broken health care system in this country.

Crippled and Tormented by a Lack of Faith

I have a friend who I have known for many years. He's a good man in a secular sense. Takes care of his kids. Works hard. Is honest.

BUT, he is a serious skeptic about the things of God. He has often ridiculed my faith and love for God. He certainly makes light of my Pentecostal roots. Snake Handling comes up often.

He has just been struck with a debilitating disease. He asked me (in jest) if he would be healed if I laid hands on him. I said yes. He would be.

Then, he had to thrown in a jab that tells me he is just hedging his bets. Unbelief.

I didn't lay hands, I didn't pray, I didn't believe for him for healing. IF Father healed him it would be in response to MY faith and in spite of his unbelief.

So, i did not. I frankly feel a little guilty. I'm confident he would be made whole. But he is crippled. He can't work. He is going to suffer greatly. I have compassion, but I am like Jesus in this, Not many works because of his unbelief.

NOW, if he was serious, if he was fully in the hem of the Garment touching phase or if he came to me in faith at any level I would respond and seek God for him. I am confident he would be healed.

He isn't and I won't. I frankly feel a little guilty about all this. I shouldn't but I do.

I don't want to withhold the Gift of God that he may allow me to impart, but I also don't belive it honors Father to throw pearls before swine.

Perhaps this disease will not lead to death but to his repentance.

I WILL pray for that. I WILL pray God will use this to bring him to Himself.

That would be the beginning of a healing he desperately needs. He is in constant pain without hope.

Faithlessness is crippling and torment on this side of the veil and on the other.